Door holding device



E. L. ALLEN DOOR HOLDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 9, 1955 lei-Z12 3; III

INVENTOR. [am/v L 41.45

Jrraezvs ys Dec. 8, 1959 E. L. ALLEN 2,915,777

DOOR HOLDING DEVICE Filed Sept. 9, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR. [aw/N L ALLEN United States Patent noon noLnrNG DEVICE Edwin L. Allen, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Lisle W. Menzimer, trustee, Rockford, Ill.

Application September 9, 1955, Serial No. 533,415

17 Claims. (Cl. 16-82) This invention relates to holding devices for preventing undesired movement between two relativelymovable parts, but which will also permit a relatively free movement between the parts whenever such relative movement is desired. The invention is applicable to a variety of uses but is especially useful in controlling the movement of a vehicle door and is, therefore, disclosed herein as applied to such a door but without any intention of limiting the invention solely to that use.

A conventional automobile door has the annoying tendency under certain conditions, to swing shut when the user desires that the door stay open. This tendency may be produced by any of various causes, such as by the inclination of the axis of the door hinge, by the transerse curvature or crown of a pavement or road, by the slope of a hill or by a gust of wind. The holding device of the present invention efiiectively prevents this annoying tendency.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a holding device of a simple and practical form which will effectively hold a movable member in any given position to which it is moved, and which will also permit a relatively free movement of the member to any other given position whenever such movement is desired. When the movable member is a door or the like, the given position can be its fully open position or any intermediate.

position to which it is movable.

Another object is to provide a holding device for a vehicle door, or the like, comprising a thrust transmitting member or arm and a clamping means adapted to produce a releasable clamping action on the arm at any point therealong and in which the development of any desired degree of holding power is readily obtainable, such that the automobile designer is at liberty to incline the hinge axis in any direction or at any angle he chooses for obtaining a desired body styling without being concerned about any tendency for the'door to fall shut.

Still another object is to provide such a holding device which will counterbalance and control the door movement under all conditions of vehicle use and which will assist in the opening of the door from its closed position.

A further object is to provide a novel holding device of the kind above indicated in which a releasable clamping means continuously in contact with the arm automatically clamps the latter whenever the door is relatively stationary and in which movement imparted to the door automatically causes the clamping means to release the arm.

Yet another object is to provide such a holding device comprising a clamping member which is tiltable to cause the same to clamp or release the arm and in which a resilient means is effective to tilt the clamping member to cause the same to clamp the arm whenever the door is relatively stationary and a releasing means causes tilting of the clamping member to release the arm in response to movement of the door in either direction.

It is likewise an object of this invention to provide a holding device for use with a hinged door structure and its associated doorframe structure comprising a support disposed Within one of those structures, and a tiltable clamping member associated with the support and adapted to clamp or release an arm connected with the other of the structures; and in which a resilient means tilts the clamping member to automatically cause clamping of the arm whenever the door is stationary, and engagement between the support and a contact means of the clamping member causes release of the arm whenever the door is being moved.

As another of its objects, this invention provides a holding device of the character above indicated in which the arm extends through the support and the clamping member and is prevented from being withdrawn therefrom by stop means limiting the relative movement between the door and doorframe structures.

Additionally, this invention provides a holding device of the kind indicated above in which the tiltable member of the clamping means has portions on opposite sides of the opening through which the arm extends whose spacing in relation to the thickness of the arm is such as to cause them to clamp or release the arm, depending upon the direction and extent of the tilting of the tiltable member, the arm preferably being of a hardness to resist abrading thereof by the clamping member.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certain novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and particularly set out in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation of an automobile showing the holding device of the present invention in an installed position thereon and applied to one of the doors of the automobile;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken through a portion of the automobile adjacent the installed position of the holding device, as indicated by the section line 2.2 of Fig. l, and with the door shown in its closed position;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing the door in its fully opened position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the holding device as indicated by section line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and showing the relative positions of the components of the holding device when the door is in its fully opened position;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section similar to that of Fig. 4 but showing the relative positions of the components of the clamping unit of the holding device when the door is being held thereby;

Fig. 6 is a larger scale fragmentary section corresponding with a portion of Fig. 5 and further illustrating the clamping action of the holding device;

Fig. 7 is a vertical section also similar to that of Fig. 4- but showing the relative positions of the components of the clamping unit when the door is in its fully closed and latched position;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially on line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is another fragmentary section taken substantially as indicated by section line 99 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section similar to that of Fig. 7 but showing the relative positions. of the components of the clamping unit prior to assembly of the arm therewith.

As one practical embodiment of the present invention, the drawings show the novel holding device 10 in the form of a combined door holding and door check device applied to a vehicle 11 for controlling the movement of a door 12 thereof.

The vehicle 11 is here shown as being an automobile having a conventional body 11 which includes a doorframe structure 13 on which the door 12 is mounted for lateral swinging movement by means of suitable hinges 14. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the doorframe structure 13 and the structure of the door 12 are both hollow structures, such that the doorframe structure has a Wall space or chamber 15 therein and the door 12 has a wall space or chamber 16 therein. The doorframe structure 13 includes an upright end wall or jamb 17, and the door 12 similarly includes an upright end wall 16 which moves into an adjacently opposed relation to the end wall 17, as shown in Fig. 2, when the door is moved to its closed position.

The holding device 10 comprises, in general, a substantially rigid arm 21 and a clamping unit 22 through which the arm extends. The arm 21 has one end thereof connected with one of the relatively movable parts, in this instance the doorframe structure 13, by means of a bracket 23 which is suitably mounted on the end wall 17. The arm 21 is here shown as being a rigid flat metal bar and is pivotally connected with the bracket 23 as by means of a suitable pivot pin 24.

The clamping unit 22 is connected with the other of the pair of relatively movable parts and, in this instance, is mounted on the door 12. The clamping unit 22 is preferably located within the door 12 by being disposed in the chamber 16 so as to be housed and concealed in the latter. The clamping unit 22 can be mounted on the door in this concealed position by being attached to a corner bracket 25 located in the chamber 16. In this instance, the clamping unit is attached to the bracket 25 by rivets 26.

Although the arm 21 and the clamping unit 22 have been described just above as being mounted respectively on the doorframe structure 13 and the door 12, it should be understood, however, that this relative arrangement can be reversed and, if desired, the arm can be connected with the movable part or door and the clamping unit 22 can be connected with the relatively stationary part or doorframe structure.

The clamping unit 22 comprises a cage 28 which can be of any suitable shape and construction but is here shown as comprising a base plate 29 and a housing member 30 mounted on such base plate. The housing member 30 can be a stamped hollow sheet metal member having walls defining a pocket or chamber 31 and which walls include top and bottom walls 32 and 33, substantially parallel side walls 27 and a rear wall 34.

The base plate 29 is a substantially fiat sheet metal plate forming a mount for the housing member 30 and a cover for the chamber 31. The base plate preferably has stiffening and locating flanges along its end and side edges. The housing member 30 and the base plate 29 can be maintained in a connected relation as by means of bendable tabs 35 carried by the base plate 29 and overlying end flanges 36 and 37 of the top and bottom walls 32 and 33 of the housing member.

The base plate 29 and the end flanges 36 and 37 of the housing member 30 have aligned openings 38 therein to accommodate the above-mentioned rivets 26 by which the clamping unit 22 is attached to the corner bracket 25 of the door 1.2. The base plate 29 and the rear wall 34 of the housing member 30 have substantially aligned openings 39 and 46 therein which accommodate the arm 21. The opening 49 preferably has a bearing sleeve or collar 41 therearound formed by an inturned integral portion of the Wall 34 for guiding engagement with the arm 21 during relative movement between the arm and the clamping unit 22.

The clamping unit 22 also includes, as important parts thereof, a clamping member 43 and a resilient means 44 which exerts force against both the clamping member and the cage 28. The clamping member 43 and the resilient means 44 are here shown as both being located in the chamber 31 and the clamping member is tiltable therein for a purpose to be presently explained.

The clamping member 43 is preferably in the form of a stamped metal plate and has an opening in an intermediate portion thereof in the form of a slot 45 through which the arm 21 extends and which is substantially aligned with the openings 39 and an of the cage 28. The clamping member is here shown as being of a bowed shape having upper and lower arm portions 4 6 and 47 located on opposite sides of the slot 45.

The resilient means 4 1 preferably comprises a single helical compression spring which is disposed between the upper arm 46 of the clamping member 43 and the rear wall 34 of the cage 28. One end of the spring 44 engages an anchor means such as a spring seat in the form of a locating pocket 48 formed on the wall 34 and the other end of the spring seats against the arm 46 in surrounding relation to a locating boss 43 formed thereon. As is apparent from Fig. 4, the spring 44 is under an initial compressive load between the wall 34 and the clamping member 43.

The clamping member 43 is adapted for clamping engagement with the arm 21 and for this purpose is provided with gripping elements 51 and 52 located on opposite sides of the slot 45 and formed by the integral portions of this member which define the upper and lower side walls or edges of the slot. As shown in Fig. 6, the gripping elements 51 and 52 include curved convex portions 51 and 52 The width of the slot 15 in relation to the thickness of the arm 21 is such that one or both of the convex portions 51* and 52 are continuously in contact with the upper and lower surfaces 21 and 21 of the arm.

As shown in the drawings, the clamping member 43 is provided with upper and lower control elements 53 and 54- which are located on opposite sides of the slot 45 and which are important to the releasing action of the clamping member to be described hereinafter. The upper control element 53 is on the side of the clamping member facing the base plate 29 and is formed by a heel portion 55 provided on the convex side of the clamping member adjacent the spring locating boss 49. The lower control element 54 is formed by an edge of the lower toe portion 56 of the clamping member and is presented toward the rear wall 34 of the cage 28.

When the clamping member 43 is in its assembled position in the clamping unit 22, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, it is supported in the chamber 31 by the arm 21 with its upper edge 57 slidably bearing against the inner surface of the top wall 32 of the cage 28. The clamping member is of a width such that it will be loosely guided in the chamber 31 between the side walls 27 of the cage 28 and will have a relatively free tilting movement therein for clamping or releasing the arm 21 and which tilting movement will be presently described. From the assembly location shown and described herein for the clamping member 43, it will be seen that this member is fulcrumed on the arm 21 during its tilting movements in the chamber 31.

Before describing the tilting movements of the clamping member 43 for gripping or releasing the arm. 21, it should be explained that the arm extends at all times through the cage 22 and is continuously in contact with the clamping member. The arm 21 is prevented from being withdrawn from the slot 45 of the clamping member by stop means 6% provided on the outer end of the arm and which is engageable with the cage 28 of the clamping unit 22 for this purpose and also for limiting relative movement between the relatively movable connected parts. The stop means 69 and the cage 28 together form a door check means for limiting the opening movement of the door 12.

The stop means 61) is here shown as comprising a bumper element 61 in the form of a cushion block made of rubber or the like and having an opening or slot 61 therein by which it is mounted on the arm 21. The stop means 60 also comprises a backing plate 62 engaged by the outer face of the bumper block 51 and a cotter pin 63, or the like, extending through an opening of the arm for retaining the backing plate in position thereon.

To describe the tilting movements of the clamping member 43 and the arm-clamping and arm-releasing functions of this member, it is pointed out that Fig. 7 shows the relative positions of the parts of the clamping unit 22 when the door 12 is in its closed and latched position. At this time the spring 44 is in a further compressed or loaded condition between the cage 28 and the clamping member 43 and the lower contact element 54 is adjacent to, or in engagement with, the wall 34 of the cage. The expansive action of the spring 44 is now imparting a tilting force to the clamping member 43, in a clockwise direction, by which the upper gripping element 51 is being forced downwardly against the upper surface 21 of the arm 21 and the lower gripping element 52 is being forced upwardly against the lower face 21 of the arm. This tilt thus imparted to the clamping member 43 causes a positive clamping action on the arm 21 by which the clamping member is temporarily connected to the arm in a relatively fixed relation.

When the door latch is released the spring 44 expands from its loaded condition shown in Fig. 7, and since the clamping member 43 is then held in a relatively fixed relation by the arm 21, theclamping member serves as an abutment against which the spring reacts, such that the expansive movement of the spring takes place in a direction away from the clamping member and imparts opening movement to the door 12 through the cage 28. This expansive action of the spring 44 thus assists the initial opening movement of the door until the parts of the clamping unit assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 5 in which the spring 44 is in a partially expanded condition and the wall 34 of the cage has been moved away from the control element 54.

Fig. 4 shows the condition of the clamping unit 22 when the door 12 is in its fully open position, in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 3, and with the operators hand still on the door. When the operators hand is removed, the tendency for the door to swing in the closing direction causes the wall 34 to be moved toward the contact element 54 and the parts of the clamping unit 22 assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. Fig. 5 is also representative of the condition of the clamping unit 22 when the door is relatively stationary in any of its intermediate positions between the closed position and the fully open position, such as any one of the intermediate positions represented in Fig. 3 by broken lines showing 10 and 10 of the holding device.

With the parts of the clamping unit 22 in the relative positions shown in Fig. 5, the spring 44 is in a partially loaded condition and its expansive action maintains the clamping member 43 in a tilted relation by which the latter is substantially rigidly connected with the arm 21 by the above-explained clamping action thereon. By reason of this clamping engagement of the clamping member 43 with the arm 21, the door will be firmly held in any intermediate position in which it is left standing. The partially loaded condition of the spring 44 just above mentioned, results from its initial compression augmented by the compression load thereon for resisting or counterbalancing the normal tendency of the door 12 to swing shut.

If the door 12 is standing in a partially open position and is to be opened further by a manual movement imparted thereto, the tendency Will be for the cage 28 to be moved along the arm 21 in a direction toward the left as seen in Fig. 5. Since the clamping member 43 is now being temporarily held in a relatively fixed connection on the arm 21, the cage 28 will move with the door and relative to the clamping member causing the base plate 29 to engage the control element 53. This engagement of the base plate of the cage 28 With the control element 53 causes tilting of the clamping member 43 about the arm 21 and in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5, to thereby automatically release the clamping engagement .of this member with the arm. When the operators hand is removed from the door at the completion of such further opening movement, the parts of the clamping unit 22 will automatically assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 5 in which the clamping member 43 is again rigidly connected with the arm 21 to again hold the door in the position in which it is left standing.

If the opening movement of the door is continued to its fully open position, the bumper element 61 of the stop means 60 will be engaged by the cage 28 and will prevent further opening movement. hand is now removed, the door will tend to swing shut and will move a short distance in the closing direction until the parts of the clamping unit 22 again automatically assume the holding position shown in Fig. 5.

If the operator desires to move the door 12 toward its closed position from any position in which it is being held open by the holding device 10, the manual closing movement imparted to the door tends to cause sliding of the cage 28 along the arm 21 toward the right, as seen in Fig. 5. Since the clamping member is then being held in a relatively fixed connection with the arm by its clamping engagement thereon under the influence of the spring 44, the clamping member remains relatively stationary until the wall 34 of the cage engages the control element 54, whereupon the clamping member is tilted in a counterclockwise direction about its fulcrum point to release its clamped engagement with the arm.

The release of the clamping member 43 from the arm 21, permits the clamping unit 22 to move freely along the arm as long as the door-closing movement is being manually imparted to the door. If the door-closing movement is interrupted at any time by the removal of the operators hand, the clamping member 43 will automatically assume its clamped engagement with the arm 21 to firmly hold the door in any position in which it is left standing. If the closing movement being imparted to the door is sufiicient to move the door to its fully closed and latched condition, the parts of the clamping unit 22 again assume the relative positions shown in Fig. 7 in which the spring 44 has been compressed to the above mentioned further loaded condition to provide the abovedescribed action in assisting the initial opening movement when the door is subsequently unlatched.

Fig. 10 of the drawings shows the relative positions of the component parts of the clamping unit 22 before the arm 21 has been inserted through the cage 28 and through the slot 45 of the clamping member 43. During the insertion of the arm 21, the clamping member 43 is tilted to the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby completing the initial loading of the spring 44,

With respect to the arm 21 it should be explained that this arm is preferably made of a material which is sufficiently hard to resist abrasion thereof by the clamping member 43. For this purpose the arm 21 can be suitably hardened.

From the accompanying drawings and the foregoing detailed description it will now be readily understood that this invention provides a holding device of a simple, noiseless, practical and durable form which can be readily applied to a door of a vehicle and which will constitute both a holding device for retaining the door in any desired open position in which it is left standing and will also serve as a door check for limiting the extent of opening movement of the door. It will now also be understood that this novel door holding device will automatically produce a door-holding action whenever the door is in a relatively stationary position and will auto- If the operators matically release the door-holding action whenever the door is being moved.

Although the present invention has been illustrated and described herein to a somewhat detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspondingly in scope since it is intended to include all changes and modifications coming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a holding device for use between a pair of relatively movable parts of which one part is movable in opposite directions and relative to the other part, a unit adapted for mounting on one of said parts and comprising a support and a clamping member, an arm operatively associated at all times with said clamping member and adapted for connection with the other of said parts, said arm being of a length to extend in such operatively associated relation to said clamping member for all operative positions of the movable part, and a single resilient means disposed to act both on said clamping member and on said support and tending to produce a clamped relationship between said clamping member and said arm, said support and said clamping member having a limited relative movement for a mutual en gagement therebetween in response to movement of said movable part in either direction and said clamped re lationship being automatically releasable for a free movement of said movable part and in response to said mutual engagement by a releasing movement imparted by said mutual engagement to said clamping member in opposition to said single resiiient means.

2. In a holding device for use with a hinged structure swingable in opposite directions and its supporting structure, an arm adapted to be connected with one of said structures and including pivot means providing for swinging of said arm relative to said one structure, clamping mean for location on the other of said structures, said arm being of a length to extend in operative association with said clamping means for all swingable positions or said hinged structure and said clamping means being in contact with said arm at all times, spring means engaging said clamping means and rendering the same automatically effective to clamp said arm at any point therealong whenever said hinged structure is relatively stationary, and releasing means adjacent said clamping means and automatically efiiective on said clamping means in opposition to said Spring means to cause the clamping means to release said arm for a free relative movement between the arm and clamping means whenever said hinged structure is being moved, said clamping means and said releasing means having a limited relative movement for a mutual engagement therebetween in response to swinging of the hinged structure in either direction for the automatic release actuation of said clamping means.

3. In a holding device for use between a pair of relatively swingably connected parts of which one part is swingable in opposite directions and relative to the other part and at least one part is a hollow part, a unit adapted for mounting in said hollow part and comprising a support and a clamping means including a clamping memher and a single spring effective on the latter, and an arm in contact with said clamping member at all times and adapted for connection with the part other than said hollow part, said arm comprising pivot means for connecting the same with said other part for swinging relative to the latter and being of a length to extend in operative relation to said clamping member for all swingable positions of the swingable part, said clamping member having a clamping engagement with said arm in response to the action of said spring whenever the swingable part is relatively stationary, said support and said clamping member having a limited relative movement for a mutual engagement therebetween in response to swinging of said swingable part in either direction and said arm being released from said clamping engagement for a free 8 relative movement between said arm and clamping member in response to the occurrence of said mutual engagement whenever said swingable part is being swung in either direction.

4. In a holding device for use between a pair of connected parts, one of which is swingable in opposite directions and relative to the other part, a unit adapted for mounting on one of said parts comprising a support and a clamping member tiltable relative to said support, an arm operatively associated at all times with said clamping member and adapted for connection with the part other than the part having said support thereon, said arm comprising pivot means for connecting the same With its associated part for swinging relative to the latter and said arm being of a iength to extend in operative relation to said clamping member for all swingable positions of the swingable part, and a single resilient means disposed to act both on said clamping member and on said support and always tending to tilt said clamping member to produce a clamped relationship between said clamping member and said arm, said support and said clamping member having a limited relative movement for a mutual engagement therebetween in response to swinging of said swingable part in either direction and said clamped relationship being releasable for a free relative movement between said arm and clamping member and in response to said mutual engagement by a releasing movement imparted by said mutual engagement to said clamping member in opposition to said single resilient means.

5. in a holding device for use between a pair of relatively movable parts, one of which is swingable in opposite directions and relative to the other, a unit adapted for mounting on one of said parts and comprising a support and a clamping member tiltable relative to said support, an arm in contact with said clamping member and adapted for connection with the part other than that having said support thereon said arm comprising pivot means for connecting the same with its associated part for swinging relative to the latter and said arm being of a length to remain in contact with said clamping member for all swing-able positions of the swingable part, check means on said arm for limiting swinging of the swing able part in one direction and for preventing disengagement of said arm from said clamping member, and resilient means disposed to act on both said clamping member and on said support and always tending to produce tilting of said clamping member to a clamped relationship With said arm, said support and clamping member having a limited relative movement for a mutual engagement therebetween in response to swinging of the swingable part in either direction and said clamped relationship being releasable in response to said mutual engagement by a releasing movement imparted thereby to said clamping member in opposition to said resilient means.

6. A holding device for use between a hinged door structure and its associated doorfr-ame structure, comprising a support adapted for connection with one of said structures, an arm adapted for connection with the other of said structures and extending past said support, said arm being of a length to extend past said support for all operative relative positions of said structures, a clamping member having portions continuously in contact with opposite sides of said arm and being tiltable relative to said support for clamping or releasing said arm, and spring means effective on said support and clamping member and tending to tilt the latter in a direction to cause the same to clamp said arm, said "support and said clamping member having a limited relative translatory movement for a mutual engagement tlierebetween in response to a predetermined relative swinging movement in either direction between said structures, said clamping member being tiltable in an opposite direction in response to said mutual engagement to release said arm.

7. A holding device for use between a hinged door 9 structure and its associated doorframe structure, comprising a cage adapted for connection with one of said structures, an arm adapted for connection with the other of said structures and extending at all times through said cage, said arm being of a length to extend through said cage for all operative relative positions of said structures, a clamping member in said cage and being tiltable relative thereto for clamping or releasing said arm, said clamping member havingportions thereof continuously in contact with opposite sides of said arm, and spring means efiective between said cage and clamping member and tending to tilt the latter in one direction to cause the same to clamp said arm, said clamping member being tiltable in the opposite direction to release said arm, said cage and said clamping member having a limited relative translatory movement for a mutual engagement therebetween in response to a predetermined relative swinging movement between said structures in either direction for causing the release tilting of said clamping member.

8. A holding device for use between a hinged door structure swingable in opposite directions and its associated doorframe structure, comprising a cage adapted for connection with said door structure, an arm adapted for connection with said doorframe structure and extending through said cage, said arm being of a length to extend through said cage for all operative relative positions between said structures, a clamping member in said cage and having an opening through which said arm extends, said clamping member having opposed gripping elements on opposite sides of said opening and being tiltable in said cage for causing said elements to grip or release said arm, and a spring in said cage tending to tilt said clamping member in one direction to cause gripping of said arm whenever said door structure is relatively stationary, said cage having a limited translatory movement relative to said clamping member in response to a predetermined swinging of said door structure in either direction and said clamping member being engageable and tiltable in the opposite direction by said cage during said relative movement of the cage to cause said elements to release said arm whenever said door structure is being moved.

9. In a holding device for use with a hinged door structure and its associated frame structure, a cage adapted to be mounted within one of said structures, an arm adapted to be connected with the other of said structures and extending through said cage, a clamping member tiltable in said cage and having an intermediate portion provided with an opening through which said arm extends, said clamping member having opposed gripping elements on said intermediate portion on opposite sides of said opening for gripping or releasing said arm in response to tilting of said clamping member, said arm being of length to extend through said cage for all operative relative positions between said structures, and a spring in said cage tending to tilt said clamping member to cause gripping of said arm whenever said door structure is relatively stationary, said clamping member also having contact portions on opposite sides of and spaced from said opening and said clamping member being tiltable to cause said gripping elements to release said arm whenever said door structure is being moved, the last-mentioned tilting of said clamping member being in response to engagement between said cage and one of said contact portions upon movement of said door structure in one direction and in response to engagement between said cage and another of said contact portions upon movement of said door structure in the other direction.

10. In a holding device for use with a hinged door structure and its associated frame structure, a cage adapted to be mounted within one of said structures, an arm adapted to be connected with the other of said structures and extending through said cage, a clamping member tiltable in said cage and having an opening through which said arm extends, stop means on said arm for preventing withdrawal thereof from said opening and cage, said clamping member having contact elements thereon on opposite sides of and spaced from said opening and also having opposed gripping elements thereon at opposite edges of said opening for gripping or releasing said arm at any point therealong in response to tilting of said clamping member, and a spring in said cage tending to tilt said clamping member to cause gripping of said arm by said gripping elements whenever said door structure is relatively stationary, said cage and said contact elements having a limited relative translatory movement substantially in the longitudinal direction of said arm for a mutual engagement therebetween, tilting of said clamping member to cause the release of said arm being responsive to engagement between said cage and one of said contact elements upon movement of said door structure in one direction and responsive to engagement between said cage and another of said contact elements upon movement of said door structure in the other direction.

11. In a holding device for use with a hinged door structure and its associated frame structure, a support adapted to be located within one of said structures and having substantially opposed walls, an arm adapted to be pivotally connected with the other of said structures, a clamping member disposed between said walls and having an opening through which said arm extends, stop means limiting relative movement between said structures and preventing withdrawal of said arm from said opening, said clamping member having contact elements thereon on opposite sides of said opening and also having opposed gripping elements thereon on opposite sides of said opening for gripping or releasing said arm at any'point therealong in response to tilting of said clamping member, and resilient means effective on said support and said clamping member tending to tilt the latter to cause gripping of said arm by said gripping elements whenever said door structure is relatively stationary, said support and said clamping member having a limited relative translatory movement therebetween in response to a predetermined swinging of said door structure in either direction and one or the other of said contact elements being engageable with the adjacent wall of said support in response to said relative translatory movement to cause a release tilting of said clamping member depending upon the direction of movement of said door structure.

12. In a holding device for use with a supporting struc ture and a swingable structure connected therewith and having a normal tendency to swing toward a given position, a cage adapted for mounting on one of said structures, an arm adapted to be connected with the other of said structures and extending through said cage, said arm being of a length to extend through said cage for all operative relative positions between said structures, a clamping member in said cage adapted for clamping cooperation with said arm, and resilient means effective between said sage and clamping member and adapted to be subjected to loading by said tendency of said swingable structure to swing, said clamping member being movable by said resilient means into a clamped relationship with said arm and said clamped relationship being releas able by movement of said clamping member in opposition to said resilient means, said cage and clamping rnemher having a limited relative movement for a mutual engagement therebetween to produce the releasing movement of said clamping member in response to a predetermined relative swinging between said structures.

13. In a holding device for use with a supporting structure and a swingable structure connected therewith and having a normal tendency to swing toward a given position, a cage adapted for mounting on one of said structures and having spaced walls and a chamber therebetween, an arm adapted to be connected with the other of said llll structures and extending through said cage and chamber, said arm being of a length to extend through said ca e for all operative relative positions between said structures, a clamping member tiltable in said chamber and having gripping portions in engagement with opposite sides of said arm, and resilient means in said cage between said clamping member and one of said Walls and adapted to be subjected to loading by said tendency of said swingable structure to swing, said clamping member being tiltable in one direction into a clamped relationship with said arm and being tiltable in the other di rection to release said clamped relationship, said resilient means being continuously effective on said clamping means tending to tilt the latter in said one direction and said clamped relationship being releasable by tilting of clamping means in said other direction in opposition to said resilient means, said cage and clamping member having a limited relative movement for a mutual engagement therebetween to produce the releasing movement or" said clamping member in response to a predetermined relative swinging between said structures.

14. A holding device for use between a supporting structure and a door structure hinged thereto and having a normal tendency to swing toward a closed position, comprising an arm adapted to be connected with One of said structures so as to extend adjacent the other of said structures, a single resilient means subject to loading by said tendency of said door structure to swing, and clamping means adapted for mounting on said other of sai structures, said clamping means comprising a cage having spaced walls and a chamber therebetween and a clamping member of a bowed shape tiltable in said chamher, said clamping member having a slot in the intermediate portion thereof for passage of said arm therethrough and gripping elements at the edges of said slot for gripping engagement with opposite sides of said arm, said resilient means being disposed between said clamping member and one or" said walls and said clamping member being tiltable in one direction by said resilient means to automatically clamp said arm at any point therealong whenever said door structure is relatively stationary, said clamping member having contact elements thereon on opposite sides of and spaced from said slot and said cage and clamping member having a limited relative movement therebtween for mutual engagement between said cage and one of said contact elements to cause tilting of said clamping member in the opposite direction to automatically rel ase said arm in response to movement of said door structure in either direction.

15. A holding device for use between a supporting structure and a door structure hinged thereto and normally tending to swing toward a closed position, comprising an arm adapted to be connected with one of said structures so as to extend adjacent the other of said structures, resilient means under an initial loading and adapted to be subjected to additional loading by said tendency of said door structure to swing and to further loading during movement of said door structure to its fully closed position, clamping means adapted for mounting on said other of said structures and being continuously subject to the action of said resilient means for causing said clamping means to clamp said arm whenever said door structure is in an open position and relatively stationary, and anchor means for said resilient means, said anchor means being adapted for mounting on said other structure in a location adjacent said clamping means, said resilient means extending in an operative relation between said anchor means and said clamping means, said anchor means and clamping means having a limited relative movement during swinging of said door structure in the closing direction for producing the additional and further loadings of said resilient means, said clamping means being responsive to movement of said door structure in either direction from said open position for automatically releasing said arm, said further loading of said resilient means being effective to assist the initial opening movement of said door structure.

16. In a holding device for use between a hinged door structure and its supporting structure, an arm adapted to be connected with said supporting structure and including pivot means providing for swinging of the arm relative to said supporting structure, clamping means adapted for mounting on said door structure and comprising a cage and a tiltable member therein having an opening for the passage of said arm therethrough, said arm being of a length to extend through said tiltable member for all swingable positions of said door structure, portions of said tiltable member defining opposed edges of said opening being efiective against opposite sides of the arm to clamp said arm in response to tilting of said member in one direction and to release said arm in response to tilting of said member in the opposite direction such that said clamping means will be effective on said arm to hold said door structure in any open position in which it is left standing and will release said arm whenever said door structure is being moved in either direction from said open position, and a single spring means disposed between said cage and said member and tending to tilt the latter in said one direction, said cage and member having a limited translatory relative movement therebetween in a direction substantially longitudinally of said arm and said cage being engageable with said member to cause the release tilting movement of the latter in response to the movement of said door structure in either direction from said open position.

17. A door holding device as defined in claim 16 in which said arm is relatively harder than said tiltable member, the hardness of said arm being such that said arm is resistant to abrasion and indentation thereof by said tiltable member and such as to provide for a smooth and quiet relative sliding between said arm and tiltable member during movement of said door structure to and from a held open position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 349,647 Gumpel Sept. 21, 1886 935,545 Pilcher Sept. 28, 1909 1,571,509 Connolly Feb. 2, 1926 1,854,386 Werth Apr. 19, 1932 2,268,977 Westrope Jan. 6, 1942 2,291,412 Schonitzer July 28, 1942 2,465,088 Gussack Mar. 22, 1949 2,702,205 Germain Feb. 15, 1955 2,723,776 Jacobson Nov. 15, 1955 

